The Elusive 2-Star Michelin Restaurant Mysteriously Tucked Inside A Grocery Store

In the naked city, everything is exposed. That includes, of course, plenty of hospitality operations trying to recreate even a fraction of the mystique that real deal speakeasies signaled back when Prohibition forced booze underground. While every local knows that one of the world's most famous hidden bars awaits behind a downtown hot dog shop, and that Manhattan's finest Korean steakhouse crowns an equally terrific basement bar, it can still be fun to pretend. And Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare is right up there with the best of 'em, nestled within one of five locations of a mini Gotham grocery chain.

Brooklyn Fare, as you might have now surmised, is the market fortress obscuring the titular Chef's Table within. And yes, the name is doubly misleading. Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare originally opened at the first Brooklyn Fare location (in actual Brooklyn) in 2009. The former was closer to a chef's table — or at least counter — back then, too, with a scant 18 seats snugly arranged around an open kitchen. Its multi-course menu already rang in at low triple digits per person, but the beverage program was blessedly BYOB. Today's Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare is in Manhattan, its tasting menu is priced at $360 a pop before drinks, tax, and tip, and its number of seats has increased, including at a smattering at detached tables. Its Michelin stars have also risen and fallen over the years, and it is presently in possession of two respectable sparklers.

As genuinely gleeful as the notion that one might mistakenly twirl into this type of joint may seem, serendipitously stumbling in after nabbing a bouquet up front, none of that is going to happen. At these prices, reservations are more easily had than they were in those early (also expensive!) days, but they also require a $200 deposit, and most folks just aren't going to forget about that kind of commitment for long enough to make a visit seem like a happy accident.

More likely, you'll plan your trip to Chef's Table at Brooklyn Fare around some special occasion, arrive on time and dress code compliant, pass through the market for the thrill of that momentary secret spot cosplay (and because that's how you reach the restaurant's entrance), and relax into about a dozen truly remarkable, seafood-forward courses that amount to a few wonderfully memorable bites on each plate. And the next time you're hungry for this particular type of adventure, you can head a couple of dozen blocks north to visit another somewhat concealed Michelin-recognized destination in a subway station for considerably less cash.